1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sheet rock installation tools and, more particularly, to an improved sheetrock lifting apparatus for aiding in the installation of sheetrock and other similar panel materials onto ceilings or other elevated areas.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, many methods of temporarily supporting sheetrock and drywall during installation have been addressed. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,405 issued in the name of Miller, a drywall support is disclosed providing for a temporary device for supporting drywall having a piercing end and a tongue, and is hammered into a joist or other support structure to form a temporary hanger clip which may be used to support sheetrock during installation. Such safety concerns with ceiling installations are self evident in that a sufficient supporting force is difficult to ascertain and impossible to guarantee.
Again in U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,527 issued in the name of Cooley, a sheetrock hanging tool is disclosed made from a rigid sheet, and can be used as a temporary "hanger" should a particular installation provide for an overhead joist having an accessible upper surface upon which to rest such a device.
Also, in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 324,474, an ornamental design for a gypsum board installation tool is disclosed providing a "notched" handle, apparently to make easier the task of carrying such long, heavy, thin objects such as sheetrock.
Other improvements in the related art of fastening sheetrock are also known, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,927 issued in the name of Birum Jr., disclosing an apparatus for mounting wallboard. However, such references tend generally to relay to methods for the permanent affixment of sheetrock during final installation.
In the prior art of sheetrock lifting apparatus, several references are known. The first is U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,477, issued in the name of Kuest, disclosing a sheetrock lift and scaffold. A device made in accordance with the disclosure in the Kuest reference incorporates generally a scaffold and a lift, both being adapted with elongated base and support members to aid in the support and balancing of wide, heavy, unstable loads such as when sheetrock is lifted for ceiling installations. A device made in accordance with the disclosure in Kuest., while effective, is an unwieldy, expensive, and very inflexible solution to the problems associated with sheetrock installation, and would appear to do so at a cost that would be out of reach for most individual homeowners or small contractor.
One attempt has been made to correct for the foregoing problems. In U.S. Pat. No. 3.642,150, issued in the name of Zizak, sheetrock scaffolding is disclosed in the form of a single elongated member having a brace at one extremity to which a pair of clamp means are pivotally mounted. Similar to the Zizak disclosure is U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,2199, issued in the name of Aldrich, in which a single elongated member has a single clamp means, and a brace is affixed at the opposite extremity.
While novelty and usefulness exist in all of the above mentioned related and prior art, there are many practical problems that occur during the installation of sheetrock to walls and ceiling boards. These problems become exaggerated if such installation is attempted by a lone individual. For example, sheetrock can be procured in a variety of standard sizes. Hence, adjustability of length is required. And, although studding is generally constructed at one of two standard separations, their orientation to any sheetrock installation is not standard, especially when utilizing wall studding to aid in the support of ceiling sheetrock installations. Finally, the use of a single elongated member to support a very large, very long piece of sheetrock can cause an individual a tremendous difficulty in terms of balancing and aligning the sheetrock.
Consequently, a need has therefore been felt for an improved but less complex mechanism that can adjust to varying lengths of sheetrock, can adapt to any wall stud configuration, and can be utilized by an individual in a safe, secure, and balanced manner in order to aid an individual in the installation of sheetrock.